If they were to start a pharmacy program again, 97.8% of Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates from the class of 2021 would choose Binghamton again, compared to only 80.4% of those from institutions. counterparts and 82.4% of all schools nationwide.
This, according to responses to the 2021 Graduate Student Survey conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
The survey included 70 questions ranging from whether students felt both academically and clinically prepared, to access to resources, the school environment, and their overall experience.
“Because the response to this question was overwhelmingly positive overall and compared to other schools, this is the best way to summarize what you see in all of the other responses,” said Donald Nieman, Dean Acting and Executive Vice President. president for academic affairs and provost. “The students believe they have teachers who care about them, the courses they took prepared them to enter a clinical setting, the school prepared them to interact with diverse populations and they had caring preceptors , wonderful mentors.
“The students also had an experience that introduced them to research and they were really prepared for the practice of evidence-based pharmacy,” Nieman added. “Those were the goals we had for the school. It is truly gratifying to know that the student body is very satisfied after four years of navigating a very demanding program and a full year of clinical rotations.
We weren’t yet accredited when these students registered, said Associate Dean Kanneboyina “Raju” Nagaraju. “I always told the students that they knew they were taking a risk with us, but other than that they first came to main campus and then we moved them to Johnson City and then the pandemic is arrival.
“When we gave their talks, we first gave in a traditional room on main campus, then we came to Johnson City where they learned in a team room, then we converted to Zoom,” added Nagaraju. “And despite all these unusual things, they say good things.
“We’ve done a great job preparing them and I’m sure they can easily overcome and overcome any challenges they face in their careers because they’ve been through a lot here and aren’t afraid to take risks. “One of the greatest things an educational institution can impart to students is to take away their fear of failure. They came here, they weren’t afraid to come to an unaccredited school. We got them. well prepared They can take risks.
Further, Nieman said that “when we have students who have walked the academic gauntlet, the results also speak to the fact that they believe they have made the right choice professionally, that the profession is one they enjoy, that they are happy that they’re getting in. This school and its people have prepared them for that.
View highlights of the survey results online.